Metal cabinets

ABSTRACT

A sheet-metal cabinet having drawers slidable on rails fitted in the cabinet body, each rail having horizontal and vertical flanges wherein at the extremities of the vertical flanges are arranged lugs which engage in horizontal slots in the cabinet body and beneath the lugs there are perforations in the vertical flanges which correspond to perforations in the cabinet body and are traversed by locking elements resting on the upper side of the horizontal flanges so that the upper side of the locking elements provides a sliding surface for the underside of the drawers.

United States Patent m1 3,572,874

[72] Inventor Ernst Hassel [56] References Cited Neunkirchen, Salchendorf, Germany UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 2; N9 gg gfifl 754,817 3/1904 Schriefer 108/109 [45] Patented Mar. 30,197] 2,606,091 8/1952 Buchy et a1. 312/341NR 731 Assignee Fritz Schater GmbH, FOREIGN PATENTS Neukirchen, Germany 1,169,951 9/1958 France 312/341NR [32] Priority Oct. 23, 1969 362,503 4/ 1959 Switzerland 312/351 [33] Germany Prima ry Examiner-James T. McCall [3 l 1 66303306 Att0rney-Watson, Cole, Grindle & Watson ABSTRACT: A sheet-metal cabinet having drawers slidable on rails fitted in the cabinet body, each rail having horizontal and vertical flanges wherein at the extremities of the vertical [54] I 2? E flanges are arranged lugs which engage in horizontal slots in rawmg the cabinet body and beneath the lugs there are erforations P [52] US. Cl 312/350, in the vertical flanges which correspond to perforations in the 312/257, 312/341 cabinet body and are traversed by locking elements resting on [51] Int. Cl A47b 88/00 the upper side of the horizontal flanges so that the upper side [50] Field of Search 312/341 of the locking elements provides a sliding surface for the underside of the drawers,

PATENTED man l97l SHEET 2 UP 2 Fig. 5

Inventor Er-wsi HCZSSPZ W W m%} @@Z/tug&m Liz.

METAL CABINETS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to improvements in metal cabinets and particularly to a sheet-metal cabinet or chest having drawers which are slidable on rails fitted in the body of the cabinet; the rails comprising a horizontal flange acting as a sliding surface, and a vertical flange serving the purpose of fastening to the body of the cabinet.

It is an object of the invention to provide a cabinet wherein the rails may be fastened to the body of the cabinet easily and .quickly, the fastening elements being intended to act simultaneously as elements facilitating the sliding of the drawers.

SUMMARY According to the invention there is provided a cabinethaving drawers which are slidable from the front to the rear of the cabinet on rails fitted in the cabinet body, each of said rails consisting of a horizontal flange acting as a sliding surface and a vertical flange for fastening to the cabinet body, characterized by upwardly directed cranked lugs extending from the upper extremities of said vertical flanges and engaged in horizontal slots in the cabinet body, perforations located beneath said lugs and aligned with corresponding perforations in the cabinet body, and locking elements traversing aligned perforations and resting on the horizontal flanges, the upper sides of the locking elements acting as surfaces on which the undersides of the drawers are slidable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of a cabinet or chest according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical section through the cabinet, the sectioning plane as seen in FIG. 1 extending parallel to the plane of the drawing, and the left-hand upper part of the cabinet being illustrated,

FIG. 3 is an inner view in perspective of the left-hand side of the cabinet,

FIG. 4 is an illustration in perspective of a locking element,

FIG. 5 is a partial vertical section along the line V-V in FIG. 1 enlarged in scale compared to FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of a drawer seen in oblique direction from above, and

FIG. 7 is a section along the line VII-VII in FIG. 6 through a rear wearing piece.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings there is shown in FIG. 1 a cabinet or chest having a cabinet body 1 and six drawers 2 positioned one above another. The design of a cabinet sidewall is ap' parent from FIG. 3.

The cabinet sidewall 3 has a plane part 4 forming the wall surface and is bent over along its vertical edges, essentially to U-shape. The U-shaped bends at the two vertical edges are symmetrical to each other and have a web 5 and a freestanding flange which consists of a portion 6 continuing the web 5, a cranked bend 7 and a portion 8 continuing the cranked bend 7. In the portion 8 are pairs of slots which consist of a horizontal slot 9 and a vertical slot 10.

The rails 11 used to guide the drawers 2 have a horizontal flange 12, a vertical flange 13 and another horizontal flange 14 continuing the vertical flange 13, so that the cross section is Z-shaped.

The upper horizontal flange 14 does not extend to the extremities of the rails 11. In the area of the extremities of the rails 11 free of the upper horizontal flanges 14, are vertical lugs 15 which merge with the vertical flanges 13 through cranked bends 16, as can be seen from FIG. 2. Slots 17 are positioned in the vertical flanges 13 beneath the lugs 15.

The lockihg elements 18, one of which is shown in FIG. 4, immobilize the rails on the cabinet body. These locking elements 18 have a convex upper side 19, whereas the underside 20 is flat. A peg 21 is arranged on the plane underside 20. Tapering incisions 22a and 22b are wrought in the sides of the locking element 18. A portion having the width b only, remains between the incisions. The width b is of the same size as the thickness d ofthe locking element 18.

The structure of a drawer is apparent from FIG. 6. Each drawer has a frame 23 and a base portion 24. The frame 23 is made by bending a single precut sheet-metal piece. At its upper edge 25, it is bent over to U-shape, and it is bent over once at right angles at its lower edge 26. The base 24 consists of the base portion 27 and a portion 28 bent over at right angles. For marginal reinforcement, the top edge of this bent over portion 28 is again bent over to U-shape 29. The base element and frame are interconnected by spot welding 30.

The sidewalls 31 and 32 of the drawer are lengthened beyond the rear side to form extensions 33. These extensions are cut off obliquely in such manner that the upper edge projects rearwards further than the lower edge. Bottom-wearing pieces 34 and top wearing pieces 35 are arranged on the extensions 33. These wearing or sliding elements are identically constructed. A wearing piece is shown in cross section in FIG. 7. Each of the wearing pieces 34, 35 has an upper sliding or wearing surface 36 and a lateral wearing surface 37 as well as a peg 38 which engages in a hole 39 in the bent over portion 25 of the drawer sidewall.

Knobs 40, one of which is shown in FIG. 3, are incorporated as additional wearing or sliding elements. These knobs possess a head and a shank 41 which engages in a hole 42 in the vertical flanges 13 of the rails 11.

The elements described above cooperate in the following manner:

During the fitting of the rails 11, these are placed obliquely as shown in FIG. 3, showing the upper rail 11 as an example. After being positioned obliquely in this manner, the lugs 15 may be inserted into the horizontal slots 9. After complete insertion of the lugs 15 into the slots 9, the rails are brought to their correct position, to the position occupied by the two lower rails in FIG. 3. The locking elements 18 are then inserted in vertical position through the matching slots 17, 10 and then turned through when the area of the incisions 22a, 22b is positioned abreast of the edges of the slot in such manner that the convex upper side 19 faces upwardly. The peg 21 is then pressed into the corresponding hole 43 of the rail. It is apparent from FIG. 2 that the rails bear with their cranked bend 16 on the lower edges of the slots 9. The rails are secured against lateral swiveling by the locking elements 18, since the incisions 22a, 22b hold the rail and the: cabinet body together. A playfree fit of the locking elements 18 is engendered by the tapering form of the notches 22a and 22b.

It is apparent from the section shown in FIG. 5, that the drawers 2 rest with their lower edges on the convex upper sides 19 of the locking elements 18. The rear extremities of the drawers bear with the lower wearing pieces 34 on the top sides of the horizontal flanges 12 of the rails, whereas they cooperate with the undersides of the horizontal flanges of a superjacent rail through their upper wearing pieces 35. (An angle section 44 is situated above the topmost drawer instead of a rail).

The knobs 40 (FIG. 3) ensure lateral guiding at the front portion of the drawer. The sidewalls of the drawers slide along these knobs and are held at a distance from the vertical flanges 13 of the rails. The rear portion of the drawer is guided laterally by the lateral surfaces 37 of the wearing pieces 34,

It is also apparent from FIG. 5 that the drawers cannot be pulled out of the cabinet body 1 completely. Complete withdrawal is prevented by abutment of the lower wearing pieces 34 against the locking elements 18. Due to the staggered arrangement of the lower wearing pieces 34 relative to the upper wearing pieces 35, the drawer guiding system can bear the turning moment generated by the force G of the drawer and its contents acting at the center of gravity S.

Iclaim:

1. A cabinet having drawers which are slidable from the front to the rear of the cabinet on rails fitted in the cabinet body, each of said rails consisting of a horizontal flange acting as a sliding surface and a vertical flange for fastening to the cabinet body, characterized by upwardly directed cranked lugs extending from the upper extremities of said vertical flanges and engaged in horizontal slots in the cabinet body, perforations located beneath said lugs and aligned with corresponding perforations in the cabinet body, and locking elements traversing aligned perforations and resting on the horizontal flanges, the upper sides of the locking elements acting as surfaces on which the undersides of the drawers are slidable.

2. A cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that the perforations are vertical, elongated slots, and that the locking elements are flat and have opposed notches which on insertion of the locking elements into the perforations and rotation through 90 lock the rails to the sidewalls of the cabinet body.

3. A cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that pegs extend from the underside of the locking elements and engage the horizontal flanges of the rails.

4. A cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper sides of the locking elements are convex.

5. A cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that wearing pieces fasten to the upper and lower edges of the drawers close to the rear extremities of sidewalls of the drawers and cooperate with the horizontal and vertical flanges.

6. A cabinet according to claim 5, characterized in that additional wearing pieces are situated on the vertical flanges close to the front extremities of the rails and cooperates with the sidewalls of the drawers.

7. A cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that extensions of the sidewalls of a drawer extend beyond the rear wall of the drawer and the upper edges of the extension diverge from the rear wall towards the lower edges of the extension.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 572 874 Dated March 30, 1971 Invent0r(s) Ernst Hassel It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

[73] Correct "Neukirchen" to --Neunkirchen-- [32] Correct "October 23, 1969" to -October 23, 1968 Signed and sealed this 9th day of November 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.F'LETGHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Pete 

1. A cabinet having drawers which are slidable from the front to the rear of the cabinet on rails fitted in the cabinet body, each of said rails consisting of a horizontal flange acting as a sliding surface and a vertical flange for fastening to the cabinet body, characterized by upwardly directed cranked lugs extending from the upper extremities of said vertical flanges and engaged in horizontal slots in the cabinet body, perforations located beneath said lugs and aligned with corresponding perforations in the cabinet body, and locking elements traversing aligned perforations and resting on the horizontal flanges, the upper sides of the locking elements acting as surfaces on which the undersides of the drawers are slidable.
 2. A cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that the perforations are vertical, elongated slots, and that the locking elements are flat and have opposed notches which on insertion of the locking elements into the perforations and rotation through 90* lock the rails to the sidewalls of the cabinet body.
 3. A cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that pegs extend from the underside of the locking elements and engage the horizontal flanges of the rails.
 4. A cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper sides of the locking elements are convex.
 5. A cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that wearing pieces fasten to the upper and lower edges of the drawers close to the rear extremities of sidewalls of the drawers and cooperate with the horizontal and vertical flanges.
 6. A cabinet according to claim 5, characterized in that additional wearing pieces are situated on the vertical flanges close to the front extremities of the rails and cooperates with the sidewalls of the drawers.
 7. A cabinet according to claim 1, characterized in that extensions of the sidewalls of a drawer extend beyond the rear wall of the drawer and the upper edges of the extension diverge from the rear wall towards the lower edges of the extension. 